Synchronous rectification forward converter

Abstract

A rectification switch control switch element (Q 7 ) is provided between a gate and a source of a rectification switch element (Q 2 ). The rectification switch control switch element (Q 7 ) is turned ON in response to a signal on a secondary side of a pulse transformer (T 2 ) at a turn OFF timing of a main switch element (Q 1 ) to forcedly turn OFF the rectification switch element (Q 2 ). As a result, the rectification switch element (Q 2 ) can be turned OFF in synchronism with an OFF of the main switch element at a time of a backflow. With use of a free resonance between a capacitance between a gate and a source of the rectification switch element (Q 2 ) and a commutation switch element (Q 3 ) and a choke coil (L 2 ), an excitation state of the choke coil (L 2 ) can be reset. Then, it is possible to stabilize a detection voltage of a tertiary rectification smoothing circuit ( 22 ) which uses a tertiary winding (N 13 ) of a transformer (T 1 ), thus stabilizing control of the circuit functions.

1. A synchronous rectification forward converter, comprising:
 a transformer provided with a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary winding; 
 a main switch element connected in series to the primary winding of the transformer; 
 a choke coil connected in series to the secondary winding of the transformer; 
 output terminals; 
 a smoothing capacitor connected across the output terminals; 
 a rectification switch element having main terminals and a gate terminal, one of said main terminals being connected in series to one end of the secondary winding of the transformer, the gate terminal being connected to the other end of said secondary winding by a drive current supply path for receiving a control voltage from said secondary winding, thereby turning the rectification switch element ON and OFF in synchronism with ON and OFF of the main switch element; 
 a commutation switch element for being turned OFF in synchronism with ON of the main switch element and for being turned ON to form a discharge path for an excitation energy of the choke coil in synchronism with OFF of the main switch element; 
 an output voltage detection circuit for indirectly detecting an output voltage between the output terminals with use of an induced voltage of the tertiary winding of the transformer; 
 a switching control circuit for controlling a switching of the main switch element; 
 a rectification switch control element for forcedly turning OFF the rectification switch element by controlling a voltage of a control terminal of the rectification switch element; and 
 a rectification switch element driver circuit for controlling the rectification switch control element at a timing when the main switch element is turned OFF in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit. 
 
   
   
     2. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to  claim 1 , further comprising a commutation switch element driver circuit for forcedly turning OFF the commutation switch element in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit at a timing when the main switch element is turned ON, by controlling the voltage of a control terminal of the commutation switch element. 
   
   
     3. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to  claim 2 , wherein an AC voltage supply for the commutation switch element driver circuit is derived from a voltage generated in one of said windings of said transformer. 
   
   
     4. A synchronous rectification forward converter, comprising:
 a transformer provided with a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary winding: 
 a main switch element connected in series to the primary winding of the transformer; 
 a choke coil connected in series to the secondary winding of the transformer; 
 output terminals; 
 a smoothing capacitor connected across the output terminals; 
 a rectification switch element connected in series to the secondary winding of the transformer, for being turned ON and OFF in synchronism with ON and OFF of the main switch element; 
 a commutation switch element for being turned OFF in synchronism with ON of the main switch element and for being turned ON to form a discharge path for an excitation energy of the choke coil in synchronism with OFF of the main switch element; 
 an output voltage detection circuit for indirectly detecting an output voltage between the output terminals with use of an induced voltage of the tertiary winding of the transformer; 
 a switching control circuit for controlling a switching of the main switch element; 
 a rectification switch control element for forcedly turning OFF the rectification switch element by controlling a voltage of a control terminal of the rectification switch element; 
 a rectification switch element driver circuit for controlling the rectification switch control element at a timing when the main switch element is turned OFF in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit; 
 further comprising a commutation switch element driver circuit for forcedly turning OFF the commutation switch element in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit at a timing when the main switch element is turned ON, by controlling the voltage of a control terminal of the commutation switch element; 
 wherein an AC voltage supply for the commutation switch element driver circuit is derived from a voltage generated in one of said windings of said transformer; and 
 further comprising a pulse transformer for transmitting ON and OFF signals of the main switch element, and on a secondary side thereof, a diode bridge for rectifying ON and OFF signals of the main switch element and for placing an OFF timing of the rectification switch element and an OFF timing of the commutation switch element on a same signal line for transmission. 
 
   
   
     5. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 first and second commutation switch turn OFF control switch elements connected in series to an auxiliary winding of the transformer, for controlling application of an electromotive voltage of the auxiliary winding of the transformer with respect to the control terminal of the commutation switch element; 
 a control switch element driver circuit for turning ON the first commutation switch turn OFF control switch element when the main switch element is ON; and 
 a primary side control stop detection circuit for detecting a control stop state of the switching control circuit and for turning ON the second commutation switch turn OFF control switch element, 
 wherein the first commutation switch turn OFF control switch element controls an OFF timing of the commutation switch element and the second commutation switch turn OFF control switch element controls an ON timing of the commutation switch element when the switching of the main switch element is stopped. 
 
   
   
     6. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a rectification switch turn ON control switch element connected in series to an ON drive electric power supply path for a control signal from one terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer to the control terminal of the rectification switch element; and 
 a primary side control stop detection circuit for detecting a control stop state of the switching control circuit and for turning OFF the rectification switch turn ON control switch element; 
 wherein when the switching of the main switch element is stopped, an ON period of the rectification switch element is limited, to stop a synchronous rectification of the rectification switch element. 
 
   
   
     7. A synchronous rectification forward converter, comprising:
 a transformer provided with a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary winding; 
 a main switch element connected in series to the primary winding of the transformer; 
 a choke coil connected in series to the secondary winding of the transformer; 
 output terminals; 
 a smoothing capacitor connected across the output terminals; 
 a rectification switch element connected in series to the secondary winding of the transformer, for being turned ON and OFF in synchronism with ON and OFF of the main switch element; 
 a commutation switch element for being turned OFF in synchronism with ON of the main switch element and for being turned ON to form a discharge path for an excitation energy of the choke coil in synchronism with OFF of the main switch element; 
 an output voltage detection circuit for indirectly detecting an output voltage between the output terminals with use of an induced voltage of the tertiary winding of the transformer; 
 a switching control circuit for controlling a switching of the main switch element; 
 a rectification switch control element for forcedly turning OFF the rectification switch element by controlling a voltage of a control terminal of the rectification switch element; 
 a rectification switch element driver circuit for controlling the rectification switch control element at a timing when the main switch element is turned OFF in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit; 
 further comprising a commutation switch element driver circuit for forcedly turning OFF the commutation switch element in accordance with the control of the switching control circuit at a timing when the main switch element is turned ON, by controlling the voltage of a control terminal of the commutation switch element; 
 wherein an AC voltage supply for the commutation switch element driver circuit is derived from a voltage generated in one of said windings of said transformer; and 
 further comprising, on a primary side of a pulse transformer for transmitting ON and OFF signals of the main switch element, a diode bridge for generating ON and OFF signal of the main switch element in a same direction between the primary side and the secondary side of the pulse transformer. 
 
   
   
     8. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to  claim 7 , further comprising a delay circuit for separating the pulse transformer for transmitting the ON and OFF signals of the main switch element from the control signal path to the main switch element and for setting a delay time for a rise of the ON and OFF signals and the ON control signal of the main switch element. 
   
   
     9. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , further comprising: an additional switch element connected in series in said drive current supply path of the rectification switch element; and a switch element control circuit for turning the additional switch element ON and OFF in synchronism with ON and OFF of the main switch element. 
   
   
     10. The synchronous rectification forward converter according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the drive current supply path includes a capacitor connected in series between said secondary winding and said gate terminal.